


Oasis

by minazukihatta



Series: Desert Heat [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Ignis Scientia, Blind Ignis Scientia, Hints of homophobia between dynamics, Ignis really loves Noctis, M/M, Noctis is struggling, Omega Noctis Lucis Caelum, The obligatory gala fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-08-21 13:26:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16577360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minazukihatta/pseuds/minazukihatta
Summary: It had been the end of the war. But, as Noctis stood by the painting, ramrod straight in his suit, surrounded by crowds of people, all smiling and laughing, dressed in their finery and holding champagne flutes in their hands, he feels as though he’s swapped one battlefield for another.(In which Prince Noctis, raised on battlefields, finds himself defenceless in a ball.)





	1. Chapter 1

It had been the end of the war. But, as Noctis stood by the painting, ramrod straight in his suit, surrounded by crowds of people, all smiling and laughing, dressed in their finery and holding champagne flutes in their hands, he feels as though he’s swapped one battlefield for another. The terrain was hard to navigate, the terms of battle unfamiliar, allies were not easily found and he had no means of retaliation if conflict ensued.

 

Noctis takes a breath in, closing his eyes. He could vaguely hear the music over the chatter. Music was something he knew, gravelly voices singing in sync at the campfire and the tinny music flowing from the radio. He spots a few eyes on him, no doubt curious. A few of the female guests hid their mouths behind fans or their glasses but their not-so-subtle glances informed Noctis of their topic.

 

In the ballroom, Noctis is more a zoo animal than a soldier prince. Fatigues were traded for a suit--the collar hemmed with lace, the blazer ornately patterned in paisley, black shirt and slacks wrapped like a glove. To be honest, Noctis wasn’t sure where he stood with the clothing. On one hand, there was a certain charm in how he looked. On the other, he hated how the stylists his father sent, cooed, telling him to accentuate his ‘assets’ to draw in ‘fine alphas’ and how the lace and patterns were ‘beautiful’ for an omega like himself.

 

Noctis flicks his gaze over to the band. Not a single person was paying attention to them. There was a practiced precision in how they played, an effortless synchronisation … In a way, they were a squad. However, instead of weapons in their hands, were instruments. He focuses on the violinist, fingers rhythmically flowing on the strings. Noctis’ own hand twitches, a pale imitation.

 

 _You’re being dumb,_ a voice hisses at Noctis. His hand lies still at his side.

 

A girl comes up to him, cheeks red and adorable in her black dress, a big pink ribbon tied at the back. She holds a bright flower in her hand. Noctis kneels on one knee, giving the girl a soft smile.

 

The girl courtesies. Although, Noctis rather’d she didn’t. The only gesture of courtesy he knew before coming to Insomnia was a salute. “G--Good evening, your Highness. My name is Esperanza.”

 

“Hello,” Noctis replies. “And don’t stress about the ‘your Highness’ stuff. Just call me Noct.” Although, that achieves the opposite result of what Noctis wanted. The girl sucks in a sharp breath in and her cheeks are now flaming. Noctis sighs internally . The formality and decorum in Insomnia was suffocating. It made him strip off his clothing and run go back to the front.

 

“T-Thank you! This is for you!” The girl thrusts a flower to him. “You saved my sister!”

 

“I did?”

 

“Yeah! Lieutenant Maria Aquila!” Nothing rose within Noctis at the name. Faces tended to blur into one another, with only a few standing out, only due to the fact they managed to survive so far in the war. Cor, Ignis, Gladio, Crowe, Prompto ... Regardless, Noctis nods.

 

“Can you put the flower on me?” Noctis asks.

 

“On your suit or …?”

 

“Anywhere is fine. I trust your instincts.”

 

The girl nods gravely, as if given a Code Coeurl mission. She tries to still her trembling hands, placing the flower on the shell of his ear. Noctis gives the girl an indulgent smile when she steps back to admire her work. “Thank you very much.”

 

The girl gives one last curtsy and a stuttered farewell before she runs off back to her mother’s skirt. Noctis stands, smile dropping into a line and returning to his ramrod stance, ignoring the renewed burn of eyes on him.

 

Noctis leaves then. A balcony, a door, a _window_ … He doesn’t care _how._ He wants to get away from the atmosphere, thick with perfume and gaily voices, indulgent in their peace. Words buzz around him and, as much as Noctis tries to ignore them, he can still hear them. An old habit carried from the front--keep all five senses alert in case of an attack. On more than one occasion that habit, hammered into his bones by his mother at childhood, had saved his life and that of the men and women who followed him.

 

Now, they’re like MT bullets piercing into his skin.

 

“--vus is a political prisoner. The crown is still trying figure what to do with him--”

 

“--ing’s looks so aged. I can’t blame him, though. War does that to people--”

 

“--brother died. It’s been hard. Especially on dad--”

 

“--There he is! He just looks so dashing, doesn’t he? Too bad, he’s an omega or otherwise I would have--”

 

“--eard that the prince actually took an MT to be his war prize. I can’t just imagine being with those things. I mean, how would it even work?”

 

Noctis halts then, turning his head slowly to the woman. The woman petrifies beneath the intensity of his stare. Prompto wasn’t his lover, merely a cover to keep the boy out of chains and from death’s grip. However, Noctis wouldn’t tolerate somebody calling his friend a _thing_.

 

“Yes?” Noctis says, measured.

 

“Your Highness,” a voice calls out.

 

Ignis appears before him. Some of the tension immediately leaves Noctis’ shoulders at the sight of Ignis, calm and composed. Although, the irony of _sight_ is not wasted on Noctis as he gazes upon the knotwork of scars peeking out of his glasses. Noctis steps closer and reaches out, fingers grazing the skin of Ignis’ wrist.

 

The man’s cool beta scent is a balm, shade inside a blistering desert. But Ignis steps away slightly when Noctis tries to lean in, rest his head against his chest. A burning reminder that the rules were different here. It was _inappropriate_ for them to be close.

 

“Is everything alright?” Ignis asks.

 

“Fine,” Noctis mutters. “I’m tired. I’m heading back to my room.” A pause. Noctis lowers his voice. “Do you wanna come with?”

 

“I’m afraid there are a few diplomats I need to discuss a few matters with.” Noctis had to marvel. He could only imagine how unfamiliar these waters were for Ignis, having to navigate his way through people. Even without his sight, Ignis was still _trying_. It made a mockery of Noctis, useless and unsure of what to do with his limbs now that the war was over.

 

So Noctis steps to Ignis’ side, holding the man’s arm. Hopefully, the man wouldn’t pull away. “Okay, I’ll wait,” Noctis says. “Feel free to use me anyway you want, Count Scientia.”

 

Ignis scoffs, shaking his head. Regardless, his arm stays, looped through Noctis’. “Don’t think I didn’t see what you did there. I’m looking for a Mrs Aurelian. I’m told she’s by the buffet table, speaking to dignitaries from Altissia.”

 

Noctis looks to that particular direction. “Yeah, I see a woman there. Dunno if she’s Aurelian, though.”

 

“We can always ask,” Ignis replies.

 

“Right. Let’s go.”

 

The chattering voices didn’t bother Noctis as much they did, walking by Ignis’ side and weaving their way through the throngs of guests.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis' point of view of the ball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Found this in my folder. Thought I might as well finish this.

  
“There he is! He just looks so dashing, doesn’t he? Too bad he’s an omega or otherwise I would have pushed that royal behind onto my bed!” 

 

In the loss of his sight, Ignis found himself relying on his four remaining senses to compensate. The muffled whisper of that noblewoman’s voice may as well be as a scream to Ignis’ ears. Since there was only one royal omega in the room, it was laughably easy to figure out the object of her affections:

 

Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum. 

 

For his efforts in the war, fine features and youthful age, Noctis had garnered the image of the victorious noble prince to his subjects. The Soldier Prince. The prodigal son returned to his ancestral home. The boy who overcame the struggles of his gender to become a god on the battlefield. 

 

_ Too bad he’s an omega … _ Ignis resists shaking his head in derision. To quote an old poet,  _ “A rose by any other name would be just as sweet.” _ Even if Noctis’ siren scent turned to that of an dominating alpha’s, if his firm masculine lines were traded for feminine curves, he would still possess all the qualities that would have Ignis glady giving his life to protect. 

 

If the woman could not have Noctis as he is then she never deserved him at all. 

 

The ball had been a …  _ trying _ affair. Ignis had been wading through the ocean of voices that threatened to drown him out all night. Polite conversation to uphold Lucis’ reputation, reaffirming ties to the Crown here and there, having to entertain the odd person that tutted and cooed at the sight of the scars knotting his eyes. Occasionally, a Crownsguard or a Glaive would direct him on where he’d need to go. However, Ignis still had difficulty weaving through guests, nearly tripping on a few shoes. 

 

Cor’s controlled steps make their presence known, coming to a stop besides Ignis. “You’re gonna want to step in,” he says. “The prince has  _ that _ look on his face--the one he gets on the battlefield when he’s pissed.”

 

If Noctis had been anything since arriving to Lucis, it was  _ restrained _ . Restrained anger, restrained frustration, restrained confusion. Gone were the pressures of being Lucis’ hope and to replace it were the shackles of royal duty suddenly weighing Noctis down. Instead of worn steel, Noctis was treated as glass by those who didn’t know the true violence he could unleash. Noctis, admirably and yet sadly due to his militaristic upbringing, held those emotions bottled inside until he was in a training room by himself, a few dummies left defenceless to his rage. 

 

“Where is he?” Ignis asks. 

 

“3 o’clock. Straight line. The Glaives are already picking up on his mood. They’ll direct you to him if you get lost.”

 

“Thank you, Marshall.” Ignis promptly set off. He taps his cane against the tiles, alerting the people in his path to  _ move _ . Luckily for Ignis, the guests were able to draw away from their conversation to step aside for him, allowing the oh so  _ poor  _ blind man to walk about in peace. 

 

Ignis thinks it’s thanks to familiarity that he’s able to pick up Noctis’ heated scent, steadily growing hotter, like burnt food, as he draws closer to the prince. Ignis spent many nights, sleeping under the desert moon tucked against the scent that may as well be home to him. Now, it’s a lighthouse for Ignis in a storm, beckoning him closer and closer.

 

“Your highness,” Ignis calls out when he feels the warmth of the man only a few inches from him. 

 

The burnt smell resides but it clears out somewhat, the anger slowly fading away from Noctis. 

 

“Is everything alright?” Ignis ventures. 

 

“Fine,” Noctis answers, a little too quickly for to him to be. A quick sigh. “I’m tired. I’m heading back to my room.” By the merciful grace of the gods, Noctis lowers his tone for the next words out of his sinful mouth. “Do you wanna come with?”

 

An invitation. One that’s hard to resist. One that Ignis gave into when he and Noct were curled against each other in front of a flickering campfire during the war. One that Ignis couldn’t accept now. They weren’t soldiers anymore. They couldn’t abide the principle of living every day as if it were your last. Things had  _ changed _ , they had new duties to the Crown and they were expected to uphold a certain image to the people. 

 

Ignis couldn’t spoil Noctis as he once used to, now surrounded by dozens of prying eyes and wagging tongues. It wouldn’t do for the king’s advisor to be seen leaving with the prince. 

 

“I’m afraid there are a few diplomats I need to discuss a few matters with.” Ignis can practically  _ hear _ the pout that comes to his face. Did he have the pursed lips? The lowered eyes? Turn of his eyebrows?

 

It comes as an unexpected surprise--as it always is with Noctis--that the prince loops his arm through Ignis’. Ignis opens his mouth to argue because this is  _ inappropriate, people are going to talk, Noctis. It’s uncomfortable enough to speak to your father when I have your marks on my skin  _ when Noctis stops him. 

 

“Okay, I’ll wait,” Noctis replies, simply when it anything  _ but _ that. “Feel free to use me anyway you want, Count Scientia.”

On the outside, Noctis appears to be the caring prince aiding a fellow brother-in-arms in his duties. In truth, Noctis is a little minx that Ignis going to have pleasure taking apart in the privacy of the prince’s quarters. 

 

“Don’t think I didn’t see what you there,” Ignis murmurs. “I’m looking for a Mrs Aurelian. I’m told she’s by the buffet table, speaking to dignitaries from Altissia.”

 

“ Yeah, I see a woman there. Dunno if she’s Aurelian, though.”

“We can always ask.”

“Right. Let’s go.”

Noctis’ arm looped around Ignis’ is a steady anchor, keeping him afloat, as they walk through the ballroom, striding past chittering voices. No doubt rumours were spreading like wildfire and would burn for the next few days. Dozens were already over-analysing the sight a Royal Advisor and his Crown Prince made. Was it simple aide or something more? 

Ignis wonders how he’ll be able to have this before the duties of the Crown tears them apart. 

**Author's Note:**

> Your thoughts? Please leave a review.
> 
> EDIT: Also [this ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/13/80/59/138059ab772f01653ee3b294a8c15683.jpg) is the suit Noctis is wearing.


End file.
